Calendula plant named ‘20123-5D’

ABSTRACT

A new cultivar of  Calendula  plant, ‘20123-5D’, that is characterized by its strong, compact, creeping plant habit, its double flowers that are a blend of pale yellow and light peach in color, its long flowering time; blooming for 9 months from spring into winter in Noordwijkerhout, The Netherlands, its very high tolerance to powdery mildew, and its very high tolerance to heat and cold, withstanding temperatures below −20° C. in the winter, and its ability to be readily propagated by stem cuttings.

Botanical classification: Calendula officinalis.

Variety denomination: ‘20123-5D’.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is co-pending with U.S. Plant Patent Applications filed for plants derived from the same breeding program that are entitled Calendula Plant Named ‘20124-4R’ (U. S. Plant patent application No. 14/120,527) and Calendula Plant Named ‘20124-30D’ (U. S. Plant Patent application No. 14/120,524).

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Calendula plant, botanically known as Calendula officinalis ‘20123-5D’ and will be referred to hereinafter by its cultivar name, ‘20123-5D’. The new cultivar of Calendula is an herbaceous perennial grown for container and landscape use.

The new cultivar was derived from a controlled breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Katsuta-Gun, Okayama-Pref., Japan. The overall purpose of the breeding program was to develop new cultivars of vegetatively propagated Calendula plants with low-growing and well-spreading growth habits combined with long flowering periods and a unique range of flower colors.

‘20123-5D’ was selected in the Inventor's trial garden in 2012 as a single unique plant from amongst the seedlings derived from self-crossing an unnamed plant from the Inventor's breeding program, ref. code 20122-15D, in 2012.

Asexual propagation of the new cultivar was first accomplished by softwood stem cuttings in summer of 2012 by the Inventor in Katsuta-Gun, Okayama-Pref., Japan. Asexual propagation by softwood stem cuttings has determined the characteristics of the new cultivar are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the characteristics of the new cultivar. These attributes in combination distinguish ‘20123-5D’ as a unique cultivar of Calendula.

-   -   1. ‘20123-5D’ exhibits a strong, compact, creeping plant habit.     -   2. ‘20123-5D’ exhibits double flowers that are a blend of pale         yellow and light peach in color.     -   3. ‘20123-5D’ exhibits a long flowering time; blooming for 9         months from spring into winter in Noordwijkerhout, The         Netherlands.     -   4. ‘20123-5D’ exhibits very high tolerance to powdery mildew.     -   5. ‘20123-5D’ exhibits very high tolerance to heat and cold,         withstanding temperatures below −20° C. in the winter.     -   6. ‘20123-5D’ is readily propagated by stem cuttings.

‘20123-5D’ can be best compared to plants of the Calendula seed strain ‘Alice’. ‘Alice’ differs from ‘20123-5D’ in having flowers that are larger in size, in having a shorter four month long blooming period, in being poorly branched, in being susceptible to powdery mildew, heat, and cold, and in being propagated by seed. ‘20123-5D’ can also be compared to the co-pending Calendula cultivars ‘20124-R’ and ‘20124-30D’. ‘20124R’ differs from ‘20123-5D’ in having flowers that are yellow in color. ‘20124-30D’ differs from ‘20123-5D’ in having flowers that bright yellow-orange in color. There are no cultivars of Calendula officinalis that are vegetatively propagated known to the Inventor. The Inventor has no records on the characteristics of the parent plant.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearance and distinct characteristics of the new Calendula. The plant in the photograph is four months in age as grown outdoors in a 20-cm container in Noordwijkerhout, The Netherlands.

The photograph in FIG. 1 provides a side view of the plant habit of ‘20123-5D’ in bloom.

The photograph in FIG. 2 provides a close-up view of a flower of ‘20123-5D’.

The photograph in FIG. 3 provides a close-up view of the foliage of ‘20123-5D’.

The colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description, which accurately describe the colors of the new Calendula. There are no cultivars of Calendula officinalis that are vegetatively propagated known to the Inventor. The Inventor has no records on the characteristics of the parent plant.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The following is a detailed description of four month-old plants of the new cultivar as grown outdoors in 20-cm containers in Noordwijkerhout, The Netherlands. The phenotype of the new cultivar may vary with variations in environmental, climatic, and cultural conditions, as it has not been tested under all possible environmental conditions. The color determination is in accordance with The 2007 R.H.S. Colour Chart of The Royal Horticultural Society, London, England, except where general color terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   General description:     -   -   Blooming period.—An average of nine-months from spring into             winter in Noordwijkerhout, The Netherlands.         -   Plant type.—Herbaceous perennial.         -   Plant habit.—Compact, creeping plant habit.         -   Height and spread.—Reaches about 15.6 cm in height and 30.9             cm in diameter.         -   Cold Hardiness.—Observed to be hardy to U.S.D.A. Zone 7.         -   Diseases.—Has been shown to have a very high tolerance to             powdery mildew.         -   Root description.—Fine and fibrous roots.         -   Propagation.—Softwood stem cuttings.         -   Growth rate.—Vigorous. -   Stem description:     -   -   Shape.—Rounded.         -   Stem color.—144A.         -   Stem size.—An average of 14.5 cm in length and 0.4 cm in             diameter.         -   Stem strength.—Strong.         -   Stem aspect.—Stems grow in an average angle of 50° from the             base (0°=horizontal) to the main stem.         -   Stem surface.—Moderately glossy, sparsely covered with very             short soft hairs; 0.03 cm in length and to small to measure             color.         -   Stem number.—5 lateral branches.         -   Internode length.—Average of 1.7 cm in length.         -   Branching.—Branches grow from base. -   Foliage description:     -   -   Leaf shape.—Oblanceolate to oblong, slightly convexed.         -   Leaf division.—Simple.         -   Leaf base.—Truncate, decurrent.         -   Leaf apex.—Obtuse.         -   Leaf venation.—Pinnate, color: upper surface; a color             between 144A and 146D, lower surface; 143C.         -   Leaf margins.—Entire, undulate, moderately covered with very             short strigose hairs; average length of 0.03 cm and NN155D             in color.         -   Leaf attachment.—Sessile.         -   Leaf arrangement.—Alternate.         -   Leaf size.—Average of 6 cm in length and 2.5 cm in width.         -   Leaf color.—Young upper surface; N137B, young lower surface;             137B, mature upper surface; N137A, mature lower surface;             137B.         -   Leaf surface.—Upper and lower surfaces are moderately glossy             and moderately rough to the touch, both sides are moderately             covered with very short strigose hairs; 0.03 cm in length             and NN155D in color.         -   Leaf fragrance.—None.         -   Petioles.—No petioles present, leaves are decurrent. -   Inflorescence description:     -   -   Inflorescence type.—Capitulums at terminal and lateral nodes             consisting of ray florets only.         -   Inflorescence number.—An average of 9 per plant.         -   Flower number.—Average of 3 per lateral stem.         -   Flower fragrance.—No fragrance.         -   Flower aspect.—Straight on top of stem.         -   Flower longevity.—A few weeks.         -   Flower size.—Average of 1.6 cm in height and 4.3 cm in             diameter.         -   Flower buds.—Average of 2 per lateral stem, broad ovate in             shape, average of 1.0 cm in length and 1.0 cm in diameter,             color; 138A to 138C, top is 183B.         -   Receptacle.—Flattened globular in shape, 0.2 cm in height             and 0.5 cm in diameter, a blend of 144A and 137B in color.         -   Peduncle.—3.9 cm in length and 0.2 cm in diameter, terminal             peduncle is straight on top of stem, other peduncles at an             average angle of 35° to the stem, color is 144A, moderate             strength, moderately covered with short soft hairs; average             of 0.02 cm in length and too small to measure color.         -   Involucral bracts (phyllaries).—Average of 26 per             inflorescence, arranged in 2 rows, lanceolate in shape,             narrowly acute apex, broadly cuneate base, margin entire,             0.8 cm in length, 0.2 cm in width, surface is glabrous and             densely covered with very short pubescence, average length             is 0.05 cm and NN155C in color, color: upper surface 138B             with apex 183A to 183B, lower surface 137B with apex 183A. -   Ray florets:     -   -   Number.—Average of 90.         -   Arrangement.—Rotate, 5 whorls.         -   Shape.—Oblanceolate.         -   Aspect.—Slightly upright at the base, held in an average             angle of 40° whole ray floret near horizontal with slightly             drooping tips in an average angle of 10° (drooping).         -   Size.—Average of 1.8 cm in length and 0.4 cm in width.         -   Ray floret apex.—Strongly praemorse.         -   Ray floret base.—Narrow cuneate.         -   Ray floret margins.—Entire.         -   Ray floret surface.—Both surfaces glabrous, upper side             slightly glossy and velvety, lower side slightly glossy.         -   Ray floret color.—Opening upper surface; 4B to 4C, Opening             lower surface; 25D with apex 171A, when fully open upper             surface; 19C with base 4B, when fully open lower surface;             color between 22B and 23C with base 4A and apex and main             veins 171A and 171B, upper and lower surfaces fading to 175B             with lower half 12B. -   Disk florets: No disk florets present. -   Reproductive organs:     -   -   Gynoecium.—1 pistil per ray floret, 0.5 cm in length, stigma             unequal decurrent and 166A and 166B in color, style is 0.25             cm in length and 4B in color, ovary 150D in color.         -   Androecium.—No stamen present.         -   Fruit and seed.—No fruits or seeds observed to date. 

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct variety of Calendula plant named ‘20123-5D’ as described and illustrated herein. 